Method and apparatus for altering a region in the earth's atmosphere, ionosphere, and/or magnetosphere
Patent 4686605 Issued on August 11, 1987. Estimated Expiration Date: 
January 10, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
January 10, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 06/690333 filed on 01/10/1985US Classes:361/231, Modification of environmental electric charge244/158.1, SPACECRAFT380/59, MISCELLANEOUS89/1.11WAGING WARExaminersPrimary: Cangialosi, SalvatoreAttorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesH05H 1/02 (20060101)H05H 1/18 (20060101) F41G 7/20 (20060101) F41G 7/22 (20060101) F41H 13/00 (20060101) H01Q 1/36 (20060101) ClaimsI claim: 1. A method for altering at least one region normally existing above the earth's surface with electromagnetic radiation using naturally-occurring and diverging magnetic field lines of the earth comprising transmitting first electromagnetic radiation at a frequency between 20 and 7200 kHz from the earth's surface, said transmitting being conducted essentially at the outset of transmission substantially parallel to and along at least one of said field lines, adjusting the frequency of said first radiation to a value which will excite electron cyclotron resonance at an initial elevation at least 50 km above the earth's surface, whereby in the region in which said electron cyclotron resonance takes place heating, further ionization, and movement of both charged and neutral particles is effected, said cyclotron resonance excitation of said region is continued until the electron concentration of said region reaches a value of at least 106 per cubic centimeter and has an ion energy of at least 2 ev. 2. The method of claim 1 including the step of providing artificial particles in said at least one region which are excited by said electron cyclotron resonance. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said artificial particles are provided by injecting same into said at least one region from an orbiting satellite. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said threshold excitation of electron cyclotron resonance is about 1 watt per cubic centimeter and is sufficient to cause movement of a plasma region along said diverging magnetic field lines to an altitude higher than the altitude at which said excitation was initiated. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said rising plasma region pulls with it a substantial portion of neutral particles of the atmosphere which exist in or near said plasma region. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein there is provided at least one separate source of second electromagnetic radiation, said second radiation having at least one frequency different from said first radiation, impinging said at least one second radiation on said region while said region is undergoing electron cyclotron resonance excitation caused by said first radiation. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said second radiation has a frequency which is absorbed by said region. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein said region is plasma in the ionosphere and said second radiation excites plasma waves within said ionosphere. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said electron concentration reaches a value of at least 1012 per cubic centimeter. 10. The method of claim 8 wherein said excitation of electron cyclotron resonance is initially carried out within the ionosphere and is continued for a time sufficient to allow said region to rise above said ionosphere. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said excitation of electron cyclotron resonance is carried out above about 500 kilometers and for a time of from 0.1 to 1200 seconds such that multiple heating of said plasma region is achieved by means of stochastic heating in the magnetosphere. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said first electromagnetic radiation is right hand circularly polarized in the northern hemisphere and left hand circularly polarized in the southern hemisphere. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic radiation is generated at the site of a naturally-occurring hydrocarbon fuel source, said fuel source being located in at least one of northerly or southerly magnetic latitudes. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said fuel source is natural gas and electricity for generating said electromagnetic radiation is obtained by burning said natural gas in at least one of magnetohydrodynamic, gas turbine, fuel cell, and EGD electric generators located at the site where said natural gas naturally occurs in the earth. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said site of natural gas is within the magnetic latitudes that encompass Alaska. Other References
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